A vehicle is divided into a plurality of compartments by panels. For example, a typical automobile is divided into a passenger compartment and an engine compartment or room by a panel (or dashboard).
A steering wheel of a steering device is disposed in the passenger compartment. In the steering device, a gear mechanism is connected to the steering wheel via a steering shaft, so that steering torque of the steering wheel is transmitted to steered road wheels via the gear mechanism. The gear mechanism is accommodated in a steering gear case. An engine, transmission and steering gear case are disposed in the engine compartment.
The above-mentioned panel has a through-hole through which the steering shaft passes. The through-hole must be sealed by an intercompartment sealing member in order for the passenger compartment and the engine compartment to be adequately divided. A technique for sealing a through-hole, provided in a panel, by an intercompartment sealing member is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3356935.
A general outline of the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3356935 (hereinafter “first conventionally-known technique”) shall be given hereunder with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B. FIG. 7A partially shows a vehicle having a conventional intercompartment sealing member.
A conventional vehicle is divided by a panel 106 into a passenger compartment 107 and an engine compartment 108, as shown in FIG. 7A. A steering gear case 104 of a steering device is disposed in the engine compartment 108. The panel 106 has a through-hole 109 through which a steering shaft (not shown) passes. The through-hole 109 is sealed by an intercompartment sealing member 100.
The intercompartment sealing member 100 is an integrally formed item composed of a tubular section 101 and a lip section 102, and is made of an elastic material. The lip section 102 is a part that extends out from an outer peripheral surface of the tubular section 101 in a conical shape. Further, the lip section 102 has a thin (or small-thickness) part 103 at a portion of the base corresponding to the tubular section 101. For this reason, the lip section 102 can be bent in an axial direction of the tubular section 101.
The intercompartment sealing member 100 can be mounted via the following process or operational sequence.
First, a fitting hole 105 of the tubular section 101 is fitted into a part 104a of the steering case 104 that faces the through-hole 109, and the lip section 102 is bent toward a side opposite the panel 106 (first step), as shown in FIG. 7A. The reason for bending the lip section 102 in the direction opposite the panel 106 is to prevent the lip section 102 from being damaged when the operation of the next step is performed.
Next, the steering gear case 104 and the lip section 102 are positioned with respect to the panel 106 and through-hole 109 in the engine compartment 108 (second step).
The lip section 102 is then bent toward the panel 106 in the engine compartment 108, whereby an end of the lip section 102 sealably makes contact with a surface of the panel 106 (third step), as shown in FIG. 7B.
The operation for mounting the intercompartment sealing member 100 between the passenger compartment 107 and the engine compartment 108 is thereby finished.
As has been described above, the operation of the third step is performed from the engine compartment side. However, the engine, transmission, and various other components are disposed in the engine compartment 108. For this reason, the intercompartment sealing member 100, which is mounted to the steering gear case 104, is difficult to see and work space is limited. Therefore, the third-step operation is difficult to perform.
One example technique for enhancing the workability with which to mount an intercompartment sealing member is known from Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-223378 (JP 2007-223378 A).
A general outline of the technique disclosed in JP 2007-223378 A (hereinafter “second conventionally-known technique”) will be given below with reference to FIGS. 8A and 8B. Basic construction of the second conventionally-known technique shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B is substantially the same as that of the first conventionally-known technique shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, and structural elements similar to those shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B are indicated by the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 7A and 7B.
As seen in FIG. 8A, the intercompartment sealing member 100 includes two operating protrusions 110 operable to bend the lip section 102, and these two operating protrusions 110 are provided at two positions on an outer peripheral surface of the cone-shape lip section 102.
The intercompartment sealing member 100 shown in FIG. 8A can be mounted via the following process or operational sequence.
First, the fitting hole 105 of the tubular section 101 is fitted into the part 104a of the steering case 104 that faces the through-hole 109, and the lip section 102 is bent toward the side opposite the panel 106, as shown in FIG. 8A.
Next, the steering gear case 104 and the lip section 102 are positioned with respect to the panel 106 and through-hole 109 in the engine compartment 108.
Then, a human operator inserts his or her hand from the passenger compartment 107 via the through-hole 109 and then pushes or collapses the operating protrusions 110 radially inwardly of the lip section 102 as indicated by arrows ha. As a consequence, the lip section 102 separated from the surface of the panel 106 is bent toward the panel 106 by its own elasticity. As shown in FIG. 8B, the outer peripheral edge sealably contacts the surface of the panel 106.
The operation for mounting the intercompartment sealing member 100 between the passenger compartment 107 and the engine compartment 108 is thereby finished.
As the lip section 102 is bent toward the side opposite the panel 106 as shown in FIG. 8A, it is held in the bent state by its elasticity. Further, as the operating protrusions 110 are bent radially inwardly of the lip section 102 as indicated by arrows ha, a force that bends or inverts the lip section 102 toward the panel 106 (i.e., “inverting force”) acts on the lip section 102. Because regions of the lip section 102 where the operating protrusions 110 are provided are subjected to great inverting forces, they can be easily bent to the panel 106. However, because regions of the lip section 102 remote from the operating protrusions 110 are subjected to small inverting forces, they can not be easily bent back or inverted toward the panel 106. Reliably inverting the lip section 102 evenly toward the panel 106 can enhance the mounting workability.
Therefore, there has been a great need for a technique that can significantly enhance the mounting workability of the intercompartment sealing member.